Letter from D*

[Sir_winealot]

Am I the only one who got a letter stating:

"We have been unsuccessful in our recent attempts to reach you by phone regarding an important change to your D* HD service. This change will require us to replace your D* HD equipment with upgraded HD equipment, FREE of charge to you. There is no COMMITMENT required."


Or are others receiving it? I've still got 3 HR10's running......and an old HR21 sitting on my shelf in a closet.

[Da Goon]

I got one. And, I cancelled directv months ago.

[NOT-MEE]

Originally Posted by Sir_winealot

Am I the only one who got a letter stating:

"We have been unsuccessful in our recent attempts to reach you by phone regarding an important change to your D* HD service. This change will require us to replace your D* HD equipment with upgraded HD equipment, FREE of charge to you. There is no COMMITMENT required."


Or are others receiving it? I've still got 3 HR10's running......and an old HR21 sitting on my shelf in a closet.

Got one the other day also.

[videojanitor]

I got one, and was amused by the line about being "unsuccessful" in reaching me by phone. Uh, nobody's called -- at least not in the last year. In any event, I put it in the recycle bin -- I've already got two HR20s and an HR21, but use the HR10 for all OTA recordings. They will not pry that away from me until the new HD TiVo comes out ... assuming it will also do OTA.

[willmw]

They actually have been unsuccessful calling me...several times. I have privacy director service and by the time I got the notification of the call and listened to enough of it to realize it was an automated call from D*, the call had ended. But, yeah, I got the mailing. Not planning on doing anything at present because I'm only using my 10-250 for standard def and OTA.

[whsbuss]

My question after receving this letter (and email) is what option do I have? I cannot get the new 5-lnb dish - I can only keep my 3-lnb dish. Can they give me a receiver to continue with HD programming???

[MikeCC]

Originally Posted by whsbuss

My question after receving this letter (and email) is what option do I have? I cannot get the new 5-lnb dish - I can only keep my 3-lnb dish. Can they give me a receiver to continue with HD programming???

You can't get the new 5 LNB dish? Why?

I figure I'll get a HR21 or 22, keep my HR 10-250, and upgrade to TiVo service with DTV when the new DTV mpeg 4 TiVo box comes available.

DTV will bring me to new HD DVR, upgrade the dish, and activate it.

[jmayes]

I got it too, does this mean there is a firm date when hd-mpeg2 will end? Was hoping to hold out until the new Tivo is out.

Jmayes

[shibby191]

Originally Posted by jmayes

I got it too, does this mean there is a firm date when hd-mpeg2 will end? Was hoping to hold out until the new Tivo is out.

Jmayes

End of the year for most, already been posted in the forum here.

[shibby191]

Originally Posted by whsbuss

My question after receving this letter (and email) is what option do I have? I cannot get the new 5-lnb dish - I can only keep my 3-lnb dish. Can they give me a receiver to continue with HD programming???

If you don't have a 5 LNB dish you won't get any HD from DirecTV in a few months (end of the year for most) as they are moved to the new sats. You can still get OTA HD of course if you do now.

[videojanitor]

And just a few minutes ago, I received an email from them with the subject line "Service Notice: HD Receiver Exchange Needed." Guess they are really getting serious about trying to get these old guys out of service.

[whsbuss]

Originally Posted by shibby191

If you don't have a 5 LNB dish you won't get any HD from DirecTV in a few months (end of the year for most) as they are moved to the new sats. You can still get OTA HD of course if you do now.

Well I guess no more HD for me when they officially make the switch (any official date announced?). I will not permit the huge 5-lnb dish to be placed on my roof. Since 1998 the dish has always been placed on the eave of my house. FiOS is slated to be available in early 2009 so that's where I will be going.

[sjberra]

Originally Posted by whsbuss

Well I guess no more HD for me when they officially make the switch (any official date announced?). I will not permit the huge 5-lnb dish to be placed on my roof. Since 1998 the dish has always been placed on the eave of my house. FiOS is slated to be available in early 2009 so that's where I will be going.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=404012

[BGLeduc]

A bud and I got the letter about the same time. He asked what our options were. This is what I said:

Option #1. Do nothing. We will lose all HD channels (not counting OTA) at some point soon, and we of course will not have access to all the MPEG4 HD channels, which means all HD other than OTA. It will suck having to watch ESPN2 stuff in SD. Supposedly at the end of next year, they will have a new Tivo, and depending on the deal, we can do something then.

Option #2. Let them give us their HD box, which is not a Tivo. If the damn thing had a Tivo style guide, I might actually be willing to try it just to get all the HD channels, but I can not stand the DirecTV style guide. I actually switched the Tivo over to it just to see if I could tolerate it, and for me it just plain sucks.

Option #3. Flip 'em the bird, cancel, get Comcast, and buy a Series 3 HD Tivo.

Option #4. Flip 'em the bird, cancel, get Dish and see what their DVR is like.

I am doing Option #1.

Brian

[the_Skywise]

I've got an HR 10-250 and I've been getting calls and emails and even letters out the wazoo.

The annoying thing is that I answered the calls and told the operator I wasn't interested and I'm STILL getting calls and letters and emails.

The operator was very peeved that I declined a "free" offer like that. Especially after I said "I'm keeping my Tivo".

[georgemoe]

I got both the letter and email. I have just one HR10-250. I've been contemplating going to Comcast for the 3-deal for a while now and FIOS in my town is right around the corner.

So the letter says "free" dish and new HD DVR but does this come at a cost? Do I have to sign up for a new 2 yr service commitment? I won't do it. I may also have a hard time getting a signal with the 5lnb slimline due a tree. No way I'll allow the 5lnb on my roof.

My thought now is to wait until I lose the D* Mpeg2 HD then just cancel the HD service and go only OTA. I hate to lose HDNet, etc. but I'll do it until I have my 3 options to choose from once FIOS shows.

[Sir_winealot]

Originally Posted by georgemoe

So the letter says "free" dish and new HD DVR but does this come at a cost? Do I have to sign up for a new 2 yr service commitment?

The letter states "no commitment," and I would assume there is absolutely no cost. I'm thinking about getting 3 of the HR-22's to replace my HR10's until the new TiVo comes out.

[shibby191]

Originally Posted by BGLeduc

A bud and I got the letter about the same time. He asked what our options were. This is what I said:

Option #1. Do nothing. We will lose all HD channels (not counting OTA) at some point soon, and we of course will not have access to all the MPEG4 HD channels, which means all HD other than OTA. It will suck having to watch ESPN2 stuff in SD. Supposedly at the end of next year, they will have a new Tivo, and depending on the deal, we can do something then.

Option #2. Let them give us their HD box, which is not a Tivo. If the damn thing had a Tivo style guide, I might actually be willing to try it just to get all the HD channels, but I can not stand the DirecTV style guide. I actually switched the Tivo over to it just to see if I could tolerate it, and for me it just plain sucks.

Option #3. Flip 'em the bird, cancel, get Comcast, and buy a Series 3 HD Tivo.

Option #4. Flip 'em the bird, cancel, get Dish and see what their DVR is like.

I am doing Option #1.

Brian

Don't understand why #2 isn't an option if you plan on staying with DirecTV. Get the free DirecTV DVR, use it for HD only, hate on it if you wish, keep the HR10 for OTA HD and SD, then get the new DirecTivo in 1-2 years when it comes out. In fact, since there is no commitment what do you have to lose? At least in the meantime you get access to all the HD channels while you wait it out. And you could go to Comcast or Dish at any time.

I do find your comments on the guide interesting. Unless you watch a lot of Live TV I'd think the guide wouldn't matter a whole lot. Set up all your season passes and be done with it. But yea, everyone uses their DVR differently. For every person that loves the Tivo guide there is someone that hates it. Anyway....

[Joe Jensen]

I got an email version. Called today. First support didn't know about the letter. Transferred me to retention. No debate. 2 HD DVRs to replace my two HR10-250s. New "slim" dish. Notation to give me 2 free AM21s once the boxes are activated. I get to keep the old HR10-250s since I own them. The boxes are leased, and I have no 2 year commitment. I currently have no commitment on my account.

Total cost zero.

Since I am keeping the HR10-250s, if they the other boxes suck, I can swap back.

Can't wait for the new Tivos however...joe

[hiker]

I got the letter and I have already installed the slimline dish and a HR20 myself. Even though they know I have the dish, they keep calling to upgrade. I'm keeping my 8 HR10's until they go up in smoke or they replace with a TiVo.

[incog-neato]

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=404012

Originally Posted by jmayes

I got it too, does this mean there is a firm date when hd-mpeg2 will end? Was hoping to hold out until the new Tivo is out.

Jmayes

[whsbuss]

Originally Posted by georgemoe

I got both the letter and email. I have just one HR10-250. I've been contemplating going to Comcast for the 3-deal for a while now and FIOS in my town is right around the corner.

So the letter says "free" dish and new HD DVR but does this come at a cost? Do I have to sign up for a new 2 yr service commitment? I won't do it. I may also have a hard time getting a signal with the 5lnb slimline due a tree. No way I'll allow the 5lnb on my roof.

My thought now is to wait until I lose the D* Mpeg2 HD then just cancel the HD service and go only OTA. I hate to lose HDNet, etc. but I'll do it until I have my 3 options to choose from once FIOS shows.

+1

I too will wait it out till FiOS is available. My neighbor works for Verizon and told me FiOS construction for my neighborhood is 2 months away. I wish DTV could have found a better way to deply the HD-MPEG4 signals which didn't require such a large dish.

[sjberra]

Originally Posted by whsbuss

+1

I too will wait it out till FiOS is available. My neighbor works for Verizon and told me FiOS construction for my neighborhood is 2 months away. I wish DTV could have found a better way to deply the HD-MPEG4 signals which didn't require such a large dish.

They maybe starting constuction in two months but depending on the existing infrstructure that is in place it could be 6 to 8 months before they light up the first segment or longer. They started construction and deploying in my area close to 9 months ago and it is still not available

[newsposter]

i feel bad...i called to turn off one hdtivo and they didnt try to keep me at all

[bldxyz]

So...What is a 10-250 DTV/Tivo customer to do?

[whsbuss]

Originally Posted by sjberra

They maybe starting constuction in two months but depending on the existing infrstructure that is in place it could be 6 to 8 months before they light up the first segment or longer. They started construction and deploying in my area close to 9 months ago and it is still not available

This is true. But since my neighbor works there I'm sure we will get some priority.

[sjberra]

Originally Posted by whsbuss

This is true. But since my neighbor works there I'm sure we will get some priority.

Doubt it, unless he is at the top of the food chain in the corporate structure, cousin is fairly high up in the district chain of command here, he live 6 houses away and we still don;t have it. i wish it would get here, want to dump this slow cable modem, dsl is not an option due distance from the CO and a T1 is still a little out of the cost range my wife will allow me to spend. Have no desire for their TV services

[alanf51]

Hi,

Is there a link to a drawing / specifications of the new 5-lnb dish satellite?
I need to understand why it must go on the roof

I have the HR10-250 and really don't want to move to the direct tv dvr, as I have had Tivo for 7 years and love it.
Thanks
Alan

[TonyTheTiger]

Originally Posted by alanf51

Hi,

Is there a link to a drawing / specifications of the new 5-lnb dish satellite?
I need to understand why it must go on the roof

I have the HR10-250 and really don't want to move to the direct tv dvr, as I have had Tivo for 7 years and love it.
Thanks
Alan

If this is the case, you don't need the new dish. You will have to get one if you want to receive MPEG4 HD channels and, at the moment, this means an HR2x.

Alternatively, you can live without HD for 9 months to a year and get the new TiVo-based DVR when it is released and you will need a new dish then. It's pointless looking at today's dish as it may well change design between now and then.


BTW. Who said it MUST go on the roof? Mine is attached to the side of the house and many are installed on a pole next to the building. It does weigh considerably more than the 3LNB version, but there is no rule that says it must be on the roof.

[alanf51]

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

If this is the case, you don't need the new dish. You will have to get one if you want to receive MPEG4 HD channels and, at the moment, this means an HR2x.

Alternatively, you can live without HD for 9 months to a year and get the new TiVo-based DVR when it is released and you will need a new dish then. It's pointless looking at today's dish as it may well change design between now and then.

I think I may wait - the only HD I think I get are a few premium channels. I stated out with a Mitsubishi HD receiver with no DVR and also had a regular Tivo DVR so I would switch between the two receivers but once I got used to Tivo I preferred Tivo regular to HD with no DVR, when the Regular DVR went out I bought the HR-250 locally. So I am about 1500 into two HD receivers over 7 years and I will be out of pocket next year for the new tivo so its a lot of money and I don't know if I want to have Tivo in two rooms and the new DVR in the other - getting a few weeks notice just doesn't cut it.

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

BTW. Who said it MUST go on the roof? Mine is attached to the side of the house and many are installed on a pole next to the building. It does weigh considerably more than the 3LNB version, but there is no rule that says it must be on the roof.

When I read this I thought it was a requirement

Originally Posted by whsbuss
Well I guess no more HD for me when they officially make the switch (any official date announced?). I will not permit the huge 5-lnb dish to be placed on my roof. Since 1998 the dish has always been placed on the eave of my house. FiOS is slated to be available in early 2009 so that's where I will be going.

Thanks
Alan